diff --git a/drivers/net/veth.c b/drivers/net/veth.c
index 177f911f5946..da866523cf20 100644
--- a/drivers/net/veth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/veth.c
@@ -379,12 +379,6 @@ static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	else
 		snprintf(dev->name, IFNAMSIZ, DRV_NAME "%%d");
 
-	if (strchr(dev->name, '%')) {
-		err = dev_alloc_name(dev, dev->name);
-		if (err < 0)
-			goto err_alloc_name;
-	}
-
 	err = register_netdevice(dev);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto err_register_dev;
@@ -404,7 +398,6 @@ static int veth_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 
 err_register_dev:
 	/* nothing to do */
-err_alloc_name:
 err_configure_peer:
 	unregister_netdevice(peer);
 	return err;